India beat Malaysia, in semis
Even as Indian men’s hockey team beat Malaysia 2-1 to book a place in the semi-finals, coach Sjoerd Marijne feels his boys are not playing at their best.
“Things are coming around. They have not reached the level I want them to be but they are coming around. I am happy that we won the match. The performance was definitely better than what it was in the last match against Wales,” said the Dutch coach.
India play England in their last Pool B encounter. They have seven points from two wins and a draw.
Drag-flicker Harmanpreet Singh scored a brace through penalty corners while Faizal Saari scored the lone goal for Malaysia. The Indians gave their rivals a lot of leeway in the second half.
Harmanpreet scored in the third minute when India earned their first penalty corner. India held a slight edge in the first quarter. Even though Malaysia earned a penalty corner, they failed to capitalise.
However, Malaysia’s seasoned forward Faizal Saari could not be denied in the first minute of the second quarter as he capitalised on a good counter-attack that came when India forward SV Sunil was dispossessed in the final third. The ball was passed on to Saari in the shooting circle and
GOLDCOAST:
he did not make a mistake to level scores.
India had an opportunity to take lead in the next minute when they earned a penalty corner but Varun Kumar missed the chance. Mandeep Singh and Gurjant Singh too got gilt-edged chances in this quarter but could not convert as the teams went into halftime tied 1-1.
The Indians came out with a little more purpose in the third quarter and earned their third penalty corner in the 32nd minute but Harmanpreet shot wide. Malaysia too earned a penalty corner but Sreejesh pulled off a good save.
The seasoned goal-tender was at it again when he thwarted Saari in the 35th minute. India earned a series of five penalty corners, and on the last one Harmanpreet was successful as he shot high into the right top corner to make it 2-1 for India.
India had a couple of good chances at the start of the final quarter. Off a quick counter, Mandeep was put in the clear inside the D by Manpreet.
The lanky forward made a quick turn and took a shot but the Malaysian goalkeeper brought off a good save.
The women’s team defeated South Africa 1-0 in their final Pool A game to enter the semi-finals. Captain Rani Rampal’s 47th-minute field goal proved to be the difference in the match.